Renowned Azerbaijani designer Gulnara Khalilova presented her national costume collection at the 9th Bursa Fashion Week, an international event bringing together designers from around the world.
Her collection highlighted the richness of Azerbaijani national dress, the distinctive character of the country's cultural heritage and its traditions of decorative and applied arts.
In her work, Khalilova combines national motifs and traditional elements with contemporary fashion trends, bringing Azerbaijani culture to the international runway.
"Bursa Fashion Week brought together designers from Azerbaijan, North Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy and Turkiye. The event provided a platform for showcasing national traditions and contemporary design, while strengthening international cultural ties," Khalilova told Trend.
The project was founded and organised by renowned designer Yashariye Dogan, who also serves as its creative driving force.
As part of the event, Khalilova and other Bursa Fashion Week participants met with Erkan Aydin, mayor of Osmangazi district in Bursa, and Kamil Ozer, director of culture and tourism in Bursa under Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
During the meeting with Mayor Aydin, the participants discussed the importance of international cultural projects, the development of creative cooperation and the promotion of national heritage.
As a gesture of respect, Khalilova presented the mayor with silk items and souvenirs of her own design, reflecting the richness of Azerbaijani culture and the craftsmanship of the country's traditional artisans.
Khalilova's participation in the event helped promote Azerbaijani national costume and the country's cultural heritage on the international stage.
Gulnara Khalilova heads the Azerbaijan National Costume Centre and is a member of the Eurasian Association of Ethno-Designers. She holds a PhD in art history and is the founder of the Cizgi brand.
Her collections have been showcased at fashion weeks and international events in the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Austria, Romania, Turkiye, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, Norway, Serbia, Turkmenistan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and other countries.